Record centering means for multiplaying machines



/ Se t. 27, 1932.

'w. R. RQYCROFT RECORD CENTERING MEANS FOR MULT IPLAYING MACHINES '4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 30, 1929 VINVENTOR WALTER R. ROYCROFT ATTORNEY 27, 1932. w RQYCRQFT 1,879,766

' RECORD .CENTER ING MEANS FOR MULTIPLAYI-NG MACHINES Filed March 30, 1929' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WALTER R. ROYCROFT ATTORNEY Sept. 27; 19 2- w. R. ROYCROFT RECORD CENTERING mums FOR MULTIIILAYING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 30, 1929 INVENTOR WALTER R. ROYC'R F'T ATTORNEY W. R. ROYCROFT Sept. .27, 19.32.

RECORD CENTERING "MEANS FOR MULTIP LAYING MACHINES,

File d. March so. 1929 "4 Sheets- Sheet 4 INVENTOR W/iLTEI'? R. ROYCPOFT Patented Sept. 1 932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE -W.ALTER R. ROYCROFT, OF OZONE PARK, NEW YORK, A SSIGNORIO COLUMBIA PHONO- GRAPH COMPANY, INC., 01 BRIDGEPORT, CONNEC'FICUT, A CORPORATION OF YORK mm cnnrnnme MEANS non munrrrmvme Macnmns Application filed larch 80,1929. Serial No. 351,190.

Other. and additional objects and advantages will become more apparent from a con- This invention relates to phonographs or talking machines and has particular relation to automatic or multiplaying phonographs.

An object of the invention is to provide a centering means for centering disc records.-

A further object ofthe invention is to provide a means adapted to receive a plurality of phonograph records of various diameters, and to center the records one at a time, before they are passed to the turn table.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a record centering means adapted to have a number of ten and twelve inch, or other diameter records, placed therein without regard to their order or, relation of centers, and which will center each record as it becomes the bottom record of the stack.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a record centering means having the characters stated and including means for receiving each record as it is centered and positioning it ready tobe transferred to a turn table. v 1

A still further object of the invention isto provide a record centering means includmg a record lowering platform adaptednormally to support the weight of a stack of records,

and adapted to be intermittently loweredand' raised, to deliver the bottom record of the stack to means for transferring it to a turn table.

An additional object is to provide'a record centering means adaptedto receive a stack of records and including fingers adapted to engage each of said records as it becomes the ottom record of the stack, and center it on. avertically movable platform which normally supports the weight of the records off the centering means, and which is adapted todescend with the centered record and deliver it. to

means for transferring it to a turntable.

Yet another object of the inventionis to provide a record centering means including a hopper-like receptacle adapted to receive a plurality of records of different diameter,in

" combination with record centering fingers adapted to separate the bottom record from:

the stack and centralize it with relationt thereceptacle. Y

sideration of the following detailed descriptlon, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings. This description and the accompanying drawings deal with one specific embodiment of the lnventlon, and since var1- ous changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts will readily suggest themselves, to those skilled in the art, reference must be had to the annexed claims for a definition. of the limitations of the invention, since many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved record centering means;

Fig. 2'is aside elevational view of the same;

Fig. 3, is atopplan view of the receptacle and centering means removed from the operating means; V I

Fig.4 is abottom-plan view of the part shown in Fig.3; v i

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 ofFig.1;-, v r

Fig. 6 is a sectionalview on the line 6-6 ofFig.'3;

' Fig. is of the finger centering means; and v v Fig.8 is a structural detail. H

Figures 9 and lOare plan and side elevational' views,"--respectively,-of the operating mechanism shown in dotted lines in Figures 1and'2;,-

Referringin detailto the drawings, the

a detailed perspective view of one I invention is shown asmounted on a motor like passing through-lugs formed with the I skirt portionlflThe innersurface ofth?v Space guide blocks 13..inclines;downwardly and inwardly and stop at the inner edge of the annulus 12.

Disposed below the annulus 12 is a-ring 16, Fig. 4. This ring is of less diameter than the diameter of the annulus 12 and the ring is guided by rollers 15 and supported by spaced slide blocks 17, four such slide blocks and four such rollers being shown. Disposed one on each of the guide blocks 17 and pivotally connected at their rear ends to the ring 16, are four separating and centering fingers 18. These fingers are 'pivotally mounted on pins 19 and are pivoted to the ring 16 as by means of pins 20. Pins 19 are partly embedded in the record guide pieces 13 as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

Fingers 18 have two normal positions; one is extended in full line position as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and the other position is within 2 the pockets 21, as clearly indicated in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. The fingers are moved to their respective positions through movement of the ring 16. Obviously,- owing to the pivoted arrangement of the fingers, movement of the ring 16 in one direction will move the fingers into the pockets 21 and movement of the ring in the opposite direction will again swing the 24011 the frame piece 25. This frame fingers out of the pockets. 1 I

At timcs,,the entire weight of the records in the receptacle 1] is supported by the fingers 18. However, normally, the weight of the record is on a vertically movable plate on platform 22 (Fig. 5) arranged in the center line of the receptacle 11 and carried by a bracket 23 (Fig. 2) secured to the upper end of a post 23a vertically slidable in bearings disposed below the support 10.

Also supported at the under side of the plate or-support 10 is the frame 26. Supported by the frame 26 is a cam shaft 27 carrying a gear 28 driven by a gear 29a through the medium of a gear 29', (Fig. 2) securedto a power shaft 30 driven in any suitable manner. Cam shaft 27 carries and drives cam 31 1 having a cam groove 32 in which is disposed a roller-33 carried by and arranged intermediate the ends of an arm 34. Th1s arm 34 at its "inner end is pivotal-ty secured to'a projection 35 of the frame 2615s at 36. A vertically arranged'lever 37 is pivoted to a frame intermediate its ends to theframe, as at38, and at its upper end engages a pin or stud 39 carried on the lower side of the ring 16. Movement of the lever 37 on its pivot 38 obviously will result in movement of the ring 16. At its' lower end, lever 37 carries a stud 40 which is embraced by the bifurcated end 41 of the arm 34 (Fig. 8). From the foregoing, it will be seen that oscillating movement imparted to "the arm 34 by the cam 31 will be transmitted through lever 37 to ring 16 resulting in the opening and closing of'the fingers 18.

piece is ried by the post 23. Since vertical locking movement is imparted to the arm 43 by the cam 42, this movement will be transmitted from the arm to the post 23 resulting in raising and lowering of the 'plate at the proper times.

' A third cam 45 is carried on the shaft 27 and this cam raises and lowers a pin 46 having an extension 46a. This extension is a movable member, and moves with a plate 46b. When plate 466 is to be removed, the extension 46a which asses through the records that have been p layed or rejected is removed with the plate. In other words 46 and 46a comprise in general a split pin arrangement. 46 and 46a do not move upward until a record is delivered back to the magazine from the turn table, when 46a passes through the usual center hole in the record and holds the record while it is released from the carrying means. When the record is released it drops to its position on plate 466. When platform 22 delivers a record from the 7, and it is to be noted that these fingers inr elude a knife-edge portion 50 which inclines at a graduated taper from the forward end to the surface 54 so as to form a blunt back as shown. At their forward ends, the fingers are cut away as at 51 to provide a shoulder 52.

When a record is disposed on the fingers in engagement with the four shoulders 52 the record is centered with respect to the receptacle 11 and the notches 51 are, in the present instance, so arranged as to accommodate a record 10 inches in diameter. If a record is of the fingers. These shoulders are so spaced as to accommodate a 12 inch record.

In the operation of the magazine device a stack of mixed 10 inch and 12 inch records are placed in the receptacle, and they are sup rted on the plate 22. The fingers are in t e is in a orizontal line with t e'lower surface of fingers 18, As the mechanism operates fingers 18 they as under the surface of the lower record 0 the stack, centralizing the lower record. Now the fingers are withdrawn and the plate or table 22 lowered a distance to bring the bottom record just-below the lower surface of the fingers. Here the plate pauses and the cam 31 acts to move the ring 'to project the fingers, and as thekets 21 and the to of the plate 22 shown in Fig. 5 carrying a record 55 (the lower record of the stack). Means (not shown, which form the subject inatter of another invention) take hold of the record and the table 22 lowers allowing the record to be carried to the turntable without the surface of the record sliding on the table 22. The record is carried to the turntable through the opening under that part of the annulus 12 from which the skirt 14 does not project. After the record is moved from the table 22, the table pausing until afterthe record is clear of the table, the table then is moved upward under the stack of records, bearingthe stack of records, while the fingers 18 recede into the pockets. The stack of records is then supported by the table. Table'22 remains in this position and the first record is returned to the'positi'on where it was above" table 22. The pin 46a is then projected upward through the hole in the record, holdingthe record while it is being released from the carrier mechanism. After being released from the carrier mechanism, the record descends to plate 466 which is located on bracket or frame 26. (Fig. 2). Table 22 then descends with the neXtrecord, pushing the pin 46a downward into its normal position.

To remove the records, the plate with the records delivered from the turntable is slid across surface of bracket 26 carrying the necll ords and pin 46a. The records are then taken off the plate over the pin 46a, and the plate with the pin replaced in its normal position.

The graduated taper of the fingers 18, when the fingers are in operation, separates the record below from the record being centralized, also when a 12 inch record is above a 10 inch record that is being centralized, separates the above record from the record being centralized. It is obvious that if a 10 inch record were off center one inch, with a 12 inch record above it, in the centralizing of .the 10 inch record, there would be a rubbing action between 'the'upper surface of the 10 inch record and the lower surface of the 12 inch record, due to the fact that the inner edge of the annulus at the lower portion of movable means adapted to be projected lye-- the spaced guide blocks 13 is not great; enough in diameter to allow the above ceni tralization. Therefore, the fingers raise the 12 inch record to eliminate this condition.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a record centering means, in combination, a receptacle adapted to receive a stack of records of various diameters, and

yond the walls of said receptacle to engage and'center the lowermost record of said stack plate, and means to most record,

irrespective of lthe' of, said loweri- 3.? Int" record centering? means in combi maan', asece taeie adapted to; reee iye e p u rality, of records of variou'sffdiamete'rs, and

means F'W h' ceptael liar s pa a i the-b )ttorri record'fromthe'stack andjf or sup portingethe stack, said means acting to center the lowermost record of thestack irrespective v,

of thediameter of said lowermost record.

4. In a record centering means, in combination, a receptacle adapted to receivea record, movable fingers adapted to engage and center said record-in the receptacle, and said fingers having notches whereby they are adapted to engage and center records of va- ,rious diameters.

"5. In a record centering means, in combination, a receptacle adaptedtoreceive a record stack, means movable through one open end of said, receptacle to support said stack, and means'within said receptacle to separate one record from the stack and support the stack and leave said'record on the means movable through one end of'the receptacle.

6. In a' record centering means, a receptacle having an open end, a platemovable through said end to engage the lowerrr ost record of the stack and to support the stack,

and means within said receptacle for cutting the stack away vfrom the lowermost record and supporting the stack free of the lowermost record.

-7.' In a record centerm and supporting means, a receptacle adapte 'to receive a stack of records, a plate movable through the lower end of-said receptacle to engage and support the stack of records, and means within the receptacle adapted to elevate the stack away from the lower record and to center the then lower record of the stack. 8. .In a record centering and feeding mechanism, a receptacle adapted to receive :5. record, a plate movable in said receptacle and adapted to support said record, pivoted finto center the record, means to move said fingers, sald means comprlslng' a. ring havlng a cam to oscillate the ring, a support for said support.-

9. The combination as in claim 3, said separatin means com risin fin ers havinqin;

clined portions. 10. The combination as in claim 3, sad separating means comprising fingers having cutraise and lower said a pivotal connection with each of the fingers,

- away portions whereby the fingers have orti ons inclined transversely from a lmife-e ge.

11. The combination as'in claim 3, said separating means comprisin fingers having cutaway portions whereby t e fingers have portions transversely inclined and longitudinally tapered. 12. In a record centering means, in combination, a receptacle adapted to receive a plurality of records, means within the receptacle for separating the bottom record from the stack and for supporting the stack, said means comprising inclined tapered fingers having spaced notches for centering records of various diameters.

Signed at New York, in the county of Nevv York, and State of New York, this 26th day of March, A. D. 1929. a

WALTER R. ROYCROFT. 

